Star Wars toys generate more than $700 million in sales in 2015

“Star Wars” toys generated sales of more than $700 million in the United States in 2015, making them the No.1 property in the toy industry during the year, a retail research group said.

Sales of toys such as Kylo Ren light sabers, BB-8 droids and models of the Millennium Falcon spacecraft totaled more than those related to movie franchises “Jurassic World,” “Minions” and “Avengers” combined, NPD Group said on Wednesday.

Led by “Star Wars” merchandise, toy sales in the United States rose 6.7 percent to $19.4 billion in 2015, making it one of the strongest performances for toy sales in years, NPD Group said.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has become the highest-grossing film of all time in the United States and Canada, beating 2009’s hit 3D sci-fi movie “Avatar”…

http://reut.rs/1OGX4PB

Jediismo

Para los que aún no se percatan del poder formidable que tiene el cine, es útil recordar que en varios países del mundo existe un nuevo movimiento religioso inspirado en el guión de las películas de Star Wars: el denominado “Jediismo”, una suerte de religión panteísta no teísta que ya cuenta con casi 400 mil seguidores (Inglaterra tiene el mayor número de adeptos, con 46 mil seguidores, el 0,4% de la población) y en el cual, por supuesto, se le rinde culto a la Fuerza. El jedismo está inspirado también en religiones como el budismo, el taoísmo, el sintoísmo, el cristianismo y el misticismo, además de códigos de conducta derivados de las leyendas artúricas.

Daniel Jones, uno de los fundadores de la Iglesia Jedi, afirma que “si bien alguna gente se burla, ya que la sola idea les parece algo muy “freak”, la mayor parte de la gente piensa que es muy interesante y hemos tenido una buena reacción hasta ahora. La Iglesia Jedi cree que hay una fuerza poderosa que une todas las cosas en el universo y que nuestro sentido de la moralidad es innato, es decir, nacemos para hacer el bien”.

Los adeptos del jedismo, una religión sincrética que busca seguir los senderos del lado luminoso de la Fuerza, aseguran que si hubiera que resumir el código de este particular credo, sería el siguiente:

“No hay emoción, hay paz; no hay ignorancia, hay conocimiento; no hay pasión, hay serenidad; no hay caos, hay armonía; no hay muerte, está la Fuerza”…

http://bit.ly/1YmaZV6

Jediismo

R2-D2 Fridge

Necesito este refrigerador…

No solo es de R2-D2, con la escala y el detalle correctos para el fan de StarWars más exigente, sino que además realmente se traslada para llevarte tus bebidas frías a la TV, con todo la parafernalia de luces y sonidos del robot original (como lo muestra este video). El primer electro-doméstico autómata que he visto.

998,000 yens japoneses…

When the licensed offshoots of Star Wars get their own trailers, then you know that the franchise will likely be here 100 years from now. The latest is for the R2D2 Moving Refrigerator, and it’s almost as exciting as one of the film’s trailers.We told you about the life-sized, remote controlled droid months ago, but in this trailer we get an up close look at just how well made the device is.

Japan’s Aqua (a division of Haier) has the device online for pre-order for about $8,300, with deliveries beginning in December. For a mini-fridge that only holds a handful of beverages at best, this piece of Star Wars swag is only for the truly obsessed — and rich.

http://bit.ly/1KZyGWg

Star Wars theme park

Aquí uno de los primeros planos que ha encontrado de este proyecto de Disney, que ya es una realidad (“The Star Wars universe dreampark”). Y que seguro pondrá a ahorrar a muchos ñoños que conozco…

Start lining up now – the Star Wars theme park we’ve all been waiting for is actually on its way!

As in, an actual, factual, Star Wars theme park. With Ewoks and everything.

Bob Iger, Disney Chairman and CEO, revealed the news to investors at the company’s quarterly earnings call on Tuesday, clarifying that:

“[Disney’s] also developing ideas and designs for a far greater Star Wars presence in our parks… We expect to provide details about this sometime next year.”

What’s more, when asked whether this would compare to Universal’s Harry Potter franchise, Iger’s response was emphatic, stating that this “is going to be just that.”

Which means, odds are, we’re going to get to drink in the Mos Eisley cantina…

http://bit.ly/1vDeXdD

LEGO R2D2

Somehow I missed the announcement for this fantastic LEGO R2D2. This Ultimate Collector Series kit is just beautiful.

Packed with several of R2s coolest tools, my favorite detail is the extendable rotary cutting arm (it deploys via a lever on R2s back!) The completed droid stands just over 1 foot tall and is comprised of just over 2,000 pieces.

This kit also comes complete with a lovely display placard and an R2D2 minifig.

LEGO Ultimate Collector Series R2D2

http://amzn.to/1nziLDe

Jason Salavon

El artista digital norteamericano Jason Salavon utiliza software muy sofisticado para crear piezas conceptuales que vale la pena ver (muy de cerca), como esta donde acomoda frames de cada segundo de la película “Star Wars” (1977), ordenados según su luminosidad y en orden concéntrico.

Esto forma parte de una serie llamada “The Grand Unification Theory”, donde hace lo mismo con otras películas como “Blanca Nieves” (1937) y “Deep Throat” (si, la porno de los 70s)…

Otra pieza interesa es “The Master Index” una pieza minimalista, que vista de cerca revela un listado de los articulos mas vistos en Wikipedia de 2007 a 2013…

Working around art, information technology, and daily life.

Using software processes of his own design, Jason Salavon generates and reconfigures masses of communal material to present new perspectives on the familiar. Though formally varied, his projects frequently manipulate the roles of individual elements arranged in diverse visual populations. This often unearths unexpected pattern as the relationship between the part and the whole, the individual and the group, is explored. Reflecting a natural attraction to popular culture and the day-to-day, his work regularly incorporates the use of common references and source material. The final compositions are exhibited as art objects, such as photographic prints and video installations, while others exist in a real-time software context...

http://bit.ly/1b2TYkk

Han Solo iPhone case

Ahora si me dieron ganas de tener un iPhone, solo para poder comprarle esta monería. 14 dolarsitos en geekalerts.com…

Star Wars fans look away, this may be too much to bear. It’s our favorite hero Han Solo frozen in carbonite again. Sure we’ve seen him in a chocolate bar and even in a desk, but this is just too much. The Star Wars Han Solo in Carbonite iPhone Case will ensure that every time you use your iPhone, you’ll be reminded of Han’s suffering.

This ultra slim styled iPhone case fits both the 4 and 4S and is made in the USA. Be thankful Boba Fett wasn’t hunting you down for Jabba the Hut…

http://bit.ly/1dnwBbs

Star Wars modern posters

No se si realmente exista la palabra “warholiano” (la he escuchado en varios circulos y suena muy mal), pero si existiera seguro aquí se aplicaría muy correctamente…

This is a 24″ x 24″ one color silkscreen poster, printed on thick French Paper Company Construction Whitewash 100 lb cover stock.

The concept is an homage based off of Andy Warhol’s famous print of Elvis Presley. A must have for any Star Wars fan!

This is a signed limited edition designed by Concepción Studios.
Ready to frame – dimensions meet standard frame size!

Mat and frame not included.
Rolled in heavy kraft paper and shipped in a heavy duty tube.
All orders shipped within 5 business days.

To view more art that will look gorgeous on your walls – visit our store:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/conceptiosnstudios

heyoscarwilde:

Bounty/Hunter

design by Patrick Concepcion :: via etsy.com

StarWars in comic

Ya era hora de que el cine le retribuyera al comic tanto de lo que ha tomado de él…

More will be revealed about Star Wars at Comic-Con, but in the meantime, here’s an exclusive sneak peek at this comic. Check out our interview with Dark Horse editor Randy Stradley, some interior artwork by Carlos D’Anda (who designed characters for the video games Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City), and a massive cover to the first issue by none other than Kingdom Come artist Alex Ross…

http://bit.ly/NHGdxy